Ruth Rogers facts for kids

Ruth Rogers, born Ruth Elias on July 2, 1948, is a famous American and British chef. She owns and runs a highly-rated Italian restaurant in London called The River Café. This restaurant has even earned a special award called a Michelin star, which means it's known for its excellent food. Ruth Rogers was married to Richard Rogers, a well-known architect from Britain.

Early Life and Education

Ruth Elias was born in New York State, USA. Her parents taught her about fairness and helping others. Her father was a doctor whose family came from Hungary. Her mother was a librarian and worked to improve conditions for workers. Her brother, Michael Elias, is a writer who helped create the movie The Jerk and the TV show Head of the Class.

In the early 1960s, her family moved to Woodstock, New York. Ruth went to Colorado Rocky Mountain School from 1964 to 1966. She then studied at Bennington College in Vermont for a year. In 1967, she moved to England with a friend. She later decided to study design at the London College of Printing starting in 1968. While in London, she joined peaceful protests against the Vietnam War.

Meeting Richard Rogers

Ruth met the architect Richard Rogers in late 1969. Richard was 15 years older than Ruth. At that time, he was married and had three young sons. After Richard and his first wife divorced, he married Ruth in 1973.

Ruth moved to Paris with Richard for several years. He was working on building a famous museum called the Pompidou Centre. They lived above a market, where Ruth learned how important it was to use fresh, seasonal ingredients in cooking. After Paris, they spent time in northern Italy. Richard's parents had moved to England from Florence, Italy.

Ruth and Richard lived in London in two townhouses that Richard designed to be one home. They had two sons, Roo and Bo. Sadly, their younger son Bo passed away in 2011 when he was 27 years old.

The River Café Restaurant

The River Café in London

After her experiences living in France and Italy, Ruth Rogers was inspired to open an Italian restaurant in London. In 1987, she opened The River Café with her business partner, Rose Gray. At first, it was almost like a cafeteria for the staff at Richard Rogers's architecture office nearby.

Richard designed the simple and modern look of the restaurant. The River Café quickly became famous for its delicious food. They focused on using fresh ingredients that were in season and cooking authentic Italian dishes.

Cookbooks and TV Shows

The River Café also published popular cookbooks, like The River Café Cook Book, first released in 1995. These books became best-sellers. Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray also had their own TV show called The Italian Kitchen in 1998.

Training Future Chefs

The restaurant has helped train many chefs who later became very successful. Some of these famous chefs include Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, and Theo Randall. The River Café has held a Michelin star, a special award for excellent restaurants, since 1998. Ruth Rogers has continued to run the restaurant since Rose Gray passed away in 2010.

Culinary Influences and Awards

Ruth Rogers has been inspired by other great chefs. These include Julia Child, known for her book Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and Marcella Hazan, who wrote The Classic Italian Cook Book.

Ruth Rogers has received special honors for her work in cooking and for charity. She was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2010. In 2020, she was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).

Ruthie's Table 4 Podcast

Ruth Rogers hosts a podcast called Ruthie's Table 4. It was originally named River Café Table 4. In this podcast, she interviews people who visit her restaurant. They talk about their lives and their favorite food memories. Many famous guests have appeared on the show, including actors like John Lithgow and Judi Dench, and even politicians like Nancy Pelosi and Tony Blair.